Since becoming a Christian about six years ago I have found it difficult to single out Christmas as a uniquely special time of year because, to me, knowing God all year through is like Christmas every day. And if that comment sounds a little tokenistic, I do not mean it to, I mean it with the greatest deal of fervour and enthusiasm. 

 

I did not know God when I was growing up, and looking back, it seems that Christmas was so special, not because of the gifts, or the season, or the holidays, or even family and friends, it was because it was the only time of the year when those who did not know God got to feel a little bit of the numinous; that is, they got to feel a little bit of what it must be like to know God. 

 

Please do not misunderstand me, the Christmas season, with great gifts given and received, holidays and parties, and particularly the special times with family and friends are all to be treasured. But they are precious to us, not because of feelings made manifest in the Christmas period - they are precious for who they are or what they are - all year through. 

 

Christmas time is, for many, the time when all of these special things can be appreciated, not just in earthly terms but also in Heavenly terms. Of course, the more commercialised Christmas has become, the less it reflects Heavenly things. But I doubt there will be one person in this country who will not at some point in the next two weeks feel a slight sense of awe at the whole thing, and wonder, even for a brief moment, if there is something more to life than this. 

 

I am sure that every single person will, once or twice through the daily astir of TV specials, food, beverages, wrapping paper and decorations, wonder if there is more to Christmas than these things. Perhaps it is true from a commercial point of view that, say, Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day were invented for consumerists gain; but it does not make a man’s mother or his beloved any less special to him because of this. The same applies to Christmas, whatever its sprightly goings-on, it means so much more than ribbons and mince pies; it celebrates the birth of our Lord - it is what the whole story of creation has been about. 

 

Christmas, as magical as it is supposed to be, does bring much stress for many people. But it is not so difficult to see why this is happening - they are trying to fit in, in two weeks, what should really be taken a little at a time the whole year through; that is, they try to imbibe the spiritual whole in the shortest time available to them rather than receiving it in the proper way. But this works two ways. Just as a man is saving up his awe for Christmas time, it is also the time when he can be his true self, when he can be free. He expresses himself in ways which he would not throughout the rest of the year - he becomes, in fact, a little more like his true self. 

 

In moments so quiet he is able to think about what it is that Christmas has that the rest of the year does not. He may not always find the answer, but he knows full well that the deep mysteries of Christmas, the intimations of something that he is missing, are not present throughout the rest of the year. In other words, that which he is missing at Christmas in those infrequent times when he gets to think about the numinous are not at all missed in quite the same way as in other times of the year. Yet this Christmas period, far from being a holiday distraction, turns out to be much more - it is the part of the year when the innocence of childhood - the innocence of creation - comes into our soul. The tenderness of the heart is able to remember the love of precious things in a way that it very often cannot throughout the rest of the year. 

 

Christmas is a time when many of us are thankful for the things we have - and in one sense it suggests a fulfilment of all desires, because it brings us a smidgen closer to thanking God for what we are. The man whose heart desires the true essence and spirit of Christmas will not find it through presents or wine or even families, he will find it through Christ. But if he stretches himself beyond the limits of daily festivities - if he tries to revisit his childhood dreams and the pleasures of young adulthood - the pleasures that can make a tear fall out of the eye of the most hardened men and women - if he looks for the numinous in all that he is and all that he does - he just might find that the biggest surprise this Christmas was not the gift of receiving nor even the gift of giving, but the gift of knowing. 

 

Christmas is perhaps the main time of year when those already predisposed to secularism; those who have already made their minds up about God, can give it a little more consideration than usual, or at least live as though He was in their hearts. Through kindness, generosity and charity he starts to locate the parts of himself which are closest to the divine. It is the time that we give more freely to the needy; the time we are more tolerant with our neighbours; and the time we really want to be with each other more than any other time of the year. But surely it is not Christmas itself which is causing such changes, it is what Christmas represents, it is the Spirit which Christ confers upon the world, to live according to His grace throughout the world.

 

If there is anyone out there reading this message that does not have a relationship with God, I would like to encourage you to think carefully about this over the Christmas period. With this message I want to encourage you to do something that you probably did not think about doing; to ask God to come into your life. I wish I could fully convey the whole realities of the comfort and assurance that can be attained from supplication; I can, at least, fully assure you that a quiet heartfelt prayer - a brief suspension of disbelief, usually opens up doorways that you never knew existed. 

 

Now aside from all the obvious intimations in this incident, we can find a more subtle comfort that permeates the message. In our moments of need, He is as tangible as the wind on our faces, for He controls nature and can change it in an instant. God’s authority over nature can help show us how real His presence in our lives can be, for none of us can get through a single minute without nature’s presence all around us. Whenever there are tough times, it is good to remember two things. Firstly, that we can cast all our anxieties on to Him because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). Secondly, we cannot expect to escape our worries and concerns if we separate ourselves from the love of Christ. If you have, thus far in your life, considered prayer to be a waste of time, I would ask that you read this verse below. If you are able to fully derive the benefits that come from knowing Christ, you will find a transformation and renewing of your mind that is more wonderful than you can possibly imagine. 

 

 

He who stops the wind and the waves can change your life in a second. And for those who are able to get in touch with the part of you that can feel the need to know Him this Christmas; try to locate Him - you will find Him first in your most treasured desires, for He created those very desires so that when you are ready to receive Him you are able to recognise Him. God is our strength and refuge, an ever-present Rock onto whom we can cast our fears. Therefore we shall not feel alone in this world, though nature will come to an end, we have an eternal destiny with Him. 

 

We should all be encouraged to search for Him, for all along our lives without Him were spent courting moments where our hopes and dreams could lay their heads in satisfaction - whereas in truth, it has not always been known that life is a river whose streams flow the very essence of our souls into the presence of God, the end stream where the Most High dwells. God is within her; she will not dry up or fall. And if we can find that moment of stillness - the precise harmonisation of our own hopes and dreams can be fully realised in the very essence of our true and real souls - it is then that we will be able to find Him. 

 

Though Christmas may be a busy time; a time for parties and reunions - remember that throughout it all, Christ is here waiting to have a relationship with you. If you are able to find it within yourselves to open up to ask Him to reveal Himself to you over the Christmas period, or indeed, any time in the future; then He will show you how your own self-surrender will take you in the direction that leads to His presence. I delight in Christmas just as I delight in every day of the year knowing God, for with knowledge of Him, we can continue all through the year to turn to Him for love, encouragement and wisdom.

 

 

It is part of the true mysteries of the divine that all the time I was evoking special feelings about Christmas, I was really evoking special feelings about Christ. The joy of brightening each other’s festive season; easing each other’s stresses and worries; of togetherness, and giving to those who do not have much - is both the magic of Christmas and, indeed, the magic of Christ. In celebrating the birth of our Lord we can stir in our hearts the true wonders of human creation. The faculty presents us with sciences and philosophies which never once stir our heart quite like the celebration of Christ, who became man and died so that we could have life and have it to the full. 

 

Christmas, and more importantly, the message it brings, is a thing of astounding wonder. The Bible says that the very mention of His name is enough to give hope to all. Thus, at Christmas time when we rejoice in daily living, we should always be thankful for what we have got; thankful for Christ’s tenderness in loving us; for His patience and understanding; for the courage He gives us; and for the eternal hope we have because of His grace. That is what Christmas means to me. It is a joy to rejoice in all that we have; but even better to rejoice in what we are because of our Lord. 

 

All that leaves me to do is to wish everyone a very happy Christmas. I hope that this festive season brings special things for you.